Rector

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: rec=tor

CIDE DICTIONARY

Rector, n. [L., fr. regere, rectum, to lead straight, to rule: cf. F. recteur. See Regiment, Right.].

•  A ruler or governor.  [1913 Webster]

  "God is the supreme rector of the world."  [1913 Webster]
•  A clergyman who has the charge and cure of a parish, and has the tithes, etc.; the clergyman of a parish where the tithes are not impropriate. See the Note under Vicar.  [1913 Webster]
•  The head master of a public school.  [1913 Webster]
•  The chief elective officer of some universities, as in France and Scotland; sometimes, the head of a college; as, the Rector of Exeter College, or of Lincoln College, at Oxford.  [1913 Webster]
•  The superior officer or chief of a convent or religious house; and among the Jesuits the superior of a house that is a seminary or college.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Rector, n.
1 (in the Church of England) the incumbent of a parish where all tithes formerly passed to the incumbent (cf. VICAR).
2 RC Ch. a priest in charge of a church or religious institution.
3 a the head of some schools, universities, and colleges. b (in Scotland) an elected representative of students on a university's governing body.

Derivative

rectorate n. rectorial adj. rectorship n.

Etymology

ME f. OF rectour or L rector ruler f. regere rect- rule

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Rector

n. In the Church of England, the Third Person of the parochial Trinity, the Cruate and the Vicar being the other two.

THESAURUS

Rector

DD, Doctor of Divinity, Grand Penitentiary, Holy Father, Holy Joe, abbe, abuna, academic dean, administration, administrator, agent, antipope, archbishop, archdeacon, archpriest, bishop, bishop coadjutor, canon, cardinal, cardinal bishop, cardinal deacon, cardinal priest, chancellor, chaplain, churchman, clergyman, cleric, clerical, clerk, coadjutor, conductor, curate, cure, dean, dean of men, dean of women, deputy, diocesan, directeur, director, divine, ecclesiarch, ecclesiastic, exarch, governor, headmaster, headmistress, hierarch, high priest, impresario, intendant, man of God, manager, master, metropolitan, military chaplain, minister, padre, papa, parson, pastor, patriarch, penitentiary, pontiff, pope, prebendary, prelate, president, primate, principal, producer, provost, responsible person, reverend, rural dean, servant of God, shepherd, sky pilot, subdean, suffragan, supercargo, supply clergy, supply minister, the Reverend, the very Reverend, tonsured cleric, vicar, vice-chancellor

ROGET THESAURUS

Rector

Director

N director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller, superintendent, supervisor, straw boss, intendant, overseer, overlooker, supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile, moderator, monitor, taskmaster, master, leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator, caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy, guiding star, adviser, guide, pilot, helmsman, steersman, steermate, wire-puller, driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer, coachman, carman, cabman, postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster, whipper in, head, head man, head center, boss, principal, president, speaker, chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, captain, superior, mayor, vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch, officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat, man in office, Jack in office, office bearer, person in authority, statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger, Minos, Draco, arbiter, boss, political dictator, board, secretary, secretary of state, Reis Effendi, vicar, steward, factor, agent, bailiff, middleman, foreman, clerk of works, landreeve, factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier, proctor, procurator, ex officio.

Clergy

N clergy, clericals, ministry, priesthood, presbytery, the cloth, the desk, clergyman, divine, ecclesiastic, churchman, priest, presbyter, hierophant, pastor, shepherd, minister, father, father in Christ, padre, abbe, cure, patriarch, reverend, black coat, confessor, dignitaries of the church, ecclesiarch, hierarch, ebdomarius, eminence, reverence, elder, primate, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop, prelate, diocesan, suffragan, dean, subdean, archdeacon, prebendary, canon, rural dean, rector, parson, vicar, perpetual curate, residentiary, beneficiary, incumbent, chaplain, curate, deacon, deaconess, preacher, reader, lecturer, capitular, missionary, propagandist, Jesuit, revivalist, field preacher, churchwarden, sidesman, clerk, precentor, choir, almoner, suisse, verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan, acolyth, acolothyst, acolyte, altar boy, chorister, Pope, Papa, pontiff, high priest, cardinal, ancient flamen, flamen, confessor, penitentiary, spiritual director, cenobite, conventual, abbot, prior, monk, friar, lay brother, beadsman, mendicant, pilgrim, palmer, canon regular, canon secular, Franciscan, Friars minor, Minorites, Observant, Capuchin, Dominican, Carmelite, Augustinian, Gilbertine, Austin Friars, Black Friars, White Friars, Gray Friars, Crossed Friars, Crutched Friars, Bonhomme, Carthusian, Benedictine, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine, Templar, Hospitaler, Bernardine, Lorettine, pillarist, stylite, abbess, prioress, canoness, religieuse, nun, novice, postulant, prophet, priest, high priest, Levite, Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe, scribe, mullah, muezzin, ayatollah, ulema, imaum, imam, sheik, sufi, kahin, kassis, mufti, hadji, dervish, fakir, faquir, brahmin, guru, kaziaskier, poonghie, sanyasi, druid, bonze, santon, abdal, Lama, talapoin, caloyer, the Reverend, the very Reverend, the Right Reverend, ordained, in orders, called to the ministry.